(a) Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to a mirror display device.
(b) Description of the Related Art
A liquid crystal display device is currently one of the most widely used flat panel display devices. A liquid crystal display device typically includes two display panels on which electric field generating electrodes (such as a pixel electrode and a common electrode) are formed, and a liquid crystal layer interposed between the two display panels.
An electric field is generated over the liquid crystal layer by applying a voltage to the field generating electrodes. The electric field determines the alignment of liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer and controls polarization of incident light through the liquid crystal layer, thereby allowing an image to be displayed on the liquid crystal display device.
Generally, personal hand-held terminals or liquid crystal display devices for outdoor display purposes should be portable to meet user needs. In recent years, a mirror film has been incorporated into some personal hand-held terminals or liquid crystal display devices, so as to provide an additional mirror function (which allows the personal hand-held terminals or liquid crystal display devices to serve as a mirror when the liquid crystal display is in an off-state).
The mirror function is achieved as follows. When the mirror film receives light from different external light sources, the mirror film only allows linearly polarized light in a specific direction to be transmitted, while linearly polarized light in other directions is reflected from a surface of the mirror film.
Accordingly, the liquid crystal display device can be used to display an image when it is driven as a display device, or as a mirror when it is not driven as a display device.
The information disclosed in this Background section is to aid in understanding the background of the inventive concept and may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art.